Convertible furniture assembly

ABSTRACT

A double bunk bed is convertible into a single bed or a settee by removing the upper base and mattress, placing it on the lower one and then lowering the end members to serve as arm rests or as head- and foot-boards for the single bed. The end members are of inverted U-shape and their arms are telescopically received in legs at the four corners of the lower base/mattress component.

[0001] This invention relates to improvements in furniture, and more specifically to the provision of a versatile piece of furniture designed for space saving.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] Bunk beds in which one mattress is supported above another save space but are unsightly and the lower mattress cannot conveniently be used as a seat during the day because of limited headroom.

[0003] A principal object of the present invention is to provide such a bunk bed in which the upper mattress and its base can be removed to provide a single bed or settee, or even a double bed, without leaving end members serving as arm rests, or as head and foot boards, of an ungainly height. Another object is to provide such an arrangement in which the upper mattress and its base can be stored without occupying space additional to that occupied by the lower mattress or seat.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0004] In accordance with the invention there is provided a piece of furniture comprising a first elongated component adapted for sitting and lying, upright end members adapted to support opposite ends of said first component so that the latter is above the ground in a horizontal attitude and a second elongated component similar to the first component and having generally the same dimensions as the first component, each said end member being adjustable in height and being equipped with means to support the second component above and generally parallel with the first component when in a raised position.

[0005] Each said end member may comprise spaced-apart legs adapted to stand upright on the ground and an element generally of inverted U-shape the free ends of the arms of which are respectively telescopically received by or which respectively telescopically receive the legs.

[0006] The first component may comprise an upholstered seat or mattress and the second component may comprise a mattress on a base.

[0007] Means may be provided alternatively to support the second component alongside and generally in the same plane as the first component so as to serve as a double bed. The underside of the base of the second component may be hollow and said support means may comprise trestle legs hinged to the second component which can be folded to lie within the second component when not in use.

[0008] The longer sides of the second component are preferably provided with detachable guard rails which are fitted when the second component is serving as an upper bunk to prevent the occupant falling from it.

[0009] Detachable head and/or foot boards may be provided to be mounted on the end members at opposite ends of the first component when the end members are elevated to positions in which there would otherwise be no head and/or foot board for the first component when serving as a lower bunk.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0010] A preferred embodiment of the invention will now be described by way of non-limitative example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0011]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a piece of furniture in accordance with the invention when serving as a settee;

[0012]FIG. 2 illustrates the piece of furniture of FIG. 1 when serving as a double bed, and

[0013]FIG. 3 illustrates the piece of furniture of FIGS. 1 and 2 when serving as a double bunk bed.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0014] The piece of furniture illustrated has a first elongated component 10 which may be an upholstered seat for a settee but in the example shown is a single bed mattress on a base. The four corners of this first component 10 are secured to and held above the ground by four upright legs 11. Each leg 11 is hollow and telescopically receives the free end of a respective arm 12 of a member 13A or 13B of inverted U-shape. Thus each member 13A or 13B can be raised from the lowered position in which it is shown in FIG. 1 to the raised position in which it is shown in FIGS. 2 and 3. Each arm 12 has perforations along its length a selected one of which can be aligned with a hole in the associated leg 11 and then a pin inserted through the aligned holes to maintain the member 13A or 13B at a chosen height.

[0015] When fully lowered the members 13A and 13B may serve as arm rests at opposite ends of a settee, and if desired a bolster cushion 14 may be provided to give the settee a back rest, the bolster 14 being prevented from being pushed off the component 10 by a wall against which the piece of furniture is placed.

[0016] Alternatively, with the bolster 14 removed the piece of furniture as shown in FIG. 1 can serve as a single bed, the members 13A and 13B serving as head- and foot-boards. For this purpose each preferably has some form of infilling as suggested at 15.

[0017] A second elongated component 16 similar to the component 10 and of similar dimensions is shown in FIG. 1 lying loosely on top of and supported by the first component. The second component 16 also comprises a single bed mattress on a base. The underside of the second component 16 is hollow and folded into it, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, are a pair of trestle legs 17A, 17B which can be hinged out to support the second component 16 at the same height as the first component. When placed alongside the first component this arrangement provides a double bed as shown in FIG. 2. If desired releasable fastening means (not shown) may be provided to prevent the components 10 and 16 separating when in this position.

[0018] So that the piece of furniture can provide a double bunk bed as shown in FIG. 3 the members 13A and 13B are locked at suitably extended positions out of the legs 11 and then the second base/mattress component 16 is held at its four corners to the arms 12 at a suitable elevation above the first base/mattress component 10. Numerous adjustable shelf-support systems are known which will be suitable for maintaining the second component 16 in the position of FIG. 3. For example a latch such as shown at 18 in FIG. 3 may be pivotable on the base of the component 18 into and out of a suitably positioned aperture in each of the arms 12, all of course at the same height.

[0019] Preferably at least one safety rail 19 is provided which will slot into openings in the base of the component 16 and in one of the arms 12 to prevent the occupant of the upper bunk rolling out and falling during the night.

[0020] The infilling 15 of the members 13A and 13B cannot conveniently continue below the legs 11 when the members 13A and 13B are in the lowered positions of FIG. 1. Consequently when they are raised to the position of FIG. 3 they will serve as head- and foot-boards only for the upper bunk. To remedy this optionally detachable head- and foot-board pieces such as shown at 20 in FIG. 3 may be provided, these having lugs 21 which hook into suitable openings in lower parts of the arms 12 to provide the lower bunk 10 with a head- and foot-board. 

1 (not entered) 2: A piece of furniture comprising a first elongated component adapted for sitting and lying, upright end members adapted to support opposite ends of said first component so that the latter is above the ground in a horizontal attitude and a second elongated component similar to the first component and having generally the same dimensions as the first component, each said end member being adjustable in height and being qeuipped with means to support the second component above and generally parallel with the first component when in a raised position wherein each said end member comprises spaced-apart legs adapted to stand upright on the ground and an element generally of inverted U-shape the free ends of the arms of which are respectively telescopically received by or which respectively telescopically receive the legs. 3: (not entered) 4: A piece of furniture as claimed in claim 8, wherein means is provided alternatively to support the second component alongside and generally in the same plane as the first component. 5: A piece of furniture as claimed in claim 4, wherein the underside of the second component is hollow and said support means comprises trestle legs hinged to the second component which can be folded to lie within the second component when not in use. 6: A piece of furniture as claimed in claim 8, wherein the longer sides of the second component are provided with detachable guard rails. 7: A piece of furniture as claimed in claim 8, wherein detachable head and/or foot boards are provided which may be mounted on the end members at opposite ends of the first component when the end members are elevated. 8: A piece of furniture comprising a first elongated, generally rectangular component adapted for sitting or lying, upright legs at the four corners of said first component, a pair of end members each generally of inverted U-shape, the free ends of the arms of each U being telescopically received in or telescopically receiving respective legs at a respective end of the first component, means for releasably locking each U-shaped member relative to the associated legs when extended therefrom and a second component similar to the first component, means being provided releasably to attach the second component to the U-shaped members so as to be parallel with and vertically spaced from the first component, the arrangement being such that the U-shaped members are moveable between raised and lowered positions without removal from the legs, in the lowered positions serving as arm rests of a sofa and in the raised positions being adapted to support the second component above the first component to provide a double bunk bed and to provide head and foot boards for the upper component. 